1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for displaying a measured physical quantity including time information as the layout of a number of blocks or the coloring of a certain block, a recording medium which stores a program and data for performing such physical quantity display, and a program for performing such physical quantity display.
2. Description of Related Art
Apparatus for displaying measured physical quantities include an apparatus for digitally displaying a numerical value which represents a measured physical quantity and an apparatus for indicating a measured physical quantity with a pointer needle that moves in an analog fashion.
The apparatus for digitally displaying a numerical value is capable of accurately indicating a measured physical quantity. However, the digital representation fails to allow the user to observe the measured physical quantity intuitively, and is often regarded as lacking interest to the user because of the display of numerical values only.
The apparatus for indicating a measured physical quantity with a pointer needle is advantageous in that the user can have an intuitive recognition of the measured physical quantity. However, the user may occasionally lose track of the pointer needle in the absence of constant attention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for displaying a measured physical quantity including time information, a recording medium, and a program which are capable of displaying a measured physical quantity with digital and analog display elements for enjoyable display patterns.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of and an apparatus for displaying a measured physical quantity including time information, a recording medium, and a program which allow the user to change parameter settings in an enjoyable manner for thereby making the user apt to be interested in computers.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a method of displaying a measured quantity comprises the step of expressing a measured physical quantity including time information with the positional relationship of at least one block to be colored in a plurality of blocks, and the amount of coloring on the block to be colored.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for displaying a measured quantity, comprises measured quantity displaying means for expressing a measured physical quantity including time information with the positional relationship of at least one block to be colored in a plurality of blocks, and the amount of coloring on the block to be colored.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a recording medium stores a program and data, the program comprising the step of expressing a measured physical quantity including time information with the positional relationship of at least one block to be colored in a plurality of blocks, and the amount of coloring on the block to be colored.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a program readable and executable by a computer comprises the step of expressing a measured physical quantity including time information with the positional relationship of at least one block to be colored in a plurality of blocks, and the amount of coloring on the block to be colored.
The positional relationship of the block serves as a digital display element, and the amount of coloring on the block as an analog display element.
Consequently, the method of and the apparatus for displaying a measured physical quantity including time information, the recording medium, and the program according to the present invention are capable of displaying a measured physical quantity with digital and analog display elements for enjoyable display patterns.
If a cluster of two or more blocks is defined as a single block group, then the two or more blocks of the block group may be arrayed and displayed according to a predetermined rule, the scale of the physical quantity including time information may be divided into two or more smaller scales, and the smaller scales may be assigned to the blocks, and the at least one block may be colored, so that the measured physical quantity can be expressed with the positional relationship of the block to be colored and the amount of coloring on the block to be colored. n (n=1, 2, 3, . . . ) block groups may be arrayed and displayed according to respective individual rules, so that the measured physical quantity can be expressed with the positional relationship of blocks to be colored in the block groups and the amounts of coloring on the blocks to be colored.
At least one block to be colored in the block group may be fixedly displayed, and remaining blocks of the block group may be movably displayed according to a predetermined rule. As a result, the display of a measured quantity, which has heretofore been liable to be boring to the user, is made enjoyable, and may be performed with many functions.
The block group may be rotated in an arbitrary direction about the block to be colored. Thus, the user is unlikely to lose track of the blocks to be colored. Accordingly, the measured quantity displaying functions can sufficiently be performed.
The physical quantity may represent the length of an object, the weight of an object, the speed of an object, the acceleration of an object, the magnitude of a measured current, the magnitude of a measured voltage, or a frequency. Alternatively, the physical quantity may represent calendar information or clock information.
If clock information is to be displayed, then two block groups may be arrayed and displayed around respective circles of different diameters, a smaller scale represented by a short hand may be assigned to one of the two block groups, a smaller scale represented by a long hand may be assigned to the other of the two block groups, the position of the short hand may be simulatively expressed with the positional relationship of the block to be colored in the one block group and the amount of coloring on the block, and the position of the long hand may be simulatively expressed with the positional relationship of the block to be colored in the other block group and the amount of coloring on the block.
Alternatively, clock information may be displayed by arraying and displaying a block group around a predetermined circle, expressing hours with the positional relationship of a block to be colored in the block group, and expressing minutes and seconds with the amount of coloring on the block to be colored.
According to a yet still another aspect of the present invention, a menu image for changing settings of parameters for use in a computer and a model image representing attributes of the parameters are simultaneously displayed, and the model image is changed based on the settings of the parameters which are changed in response to a control input.
When the user is to change settings of various parameters used by the computer, the user changes those parameter settings while viewing the displayed menu image. At this time, the model image displayed behind the menu image is changed based on the changed parameter settings.
Usually, it has heretofore been the general practice to display an unattractive setting image of only items and numbers. According to the present invention, however, the model image representing parameter attributes is displayed behind the menu image, for example, and the model image changes depending on parameter values. Therefore, the user finds it enjoyable to change parameter settings, and tends to be interested in the computer.